Chasing Stars
by LackingSanityRawr
Summary: After leaving Miami to see his mother, who abandoned him, Chase Dawson has finally come back to see his friends Tommy, Krys and Scarlett, who he finds have already moved on with their lives. I suck at summaries, so I'll hush up and let you read it for yourself... unless you don't wanna read it, which is fine with me. Oh who am I kidding... PLEASE READ IT!
1. Chapter 1

**Chasing Stars**

The snow crunched beneath my feet.

The cold winter's wind swept through my hair, sending cold chills down my spine, and smacking me in the face, leaving my almost breath taken.

As I neared the front entrance, a familiar voice called after me.

''Scarlett!'' He yelled. It was Cameron.

He raced up to me from the parking lot, oblivious to the patches of ice, of which he was in danger of slipping over - which in my point of view would be quite hilarious.

''Look... I'm REALLY sorry. Leah and I, are nothing! She means nothing to me! But you... You mean EVERYTHING to me! You are my WORLD!'' Cameron grabbed my arm and swung me around to face him, but quickened his steps as I proceeded to walk on.

''If I meant that much to you, you shouldn't have cheated, and lied,'' I snarled back at him through gritted teeth, praying for a miracle. A savour, even. ANYTHING to avoid Cameron.

Before he had cheated on me, Cameron had been MY everything as well. He had 'confessed' his love to me in the mall over the summer. A true summer love. But as winter approached, Cameron had become as cold as the snow which lay on the ground, and had started lying to my face. First about small, minor details, that didn't really matter, but annoyed me none the less, then as time grew on, the lies grew bigger, and before I knew it, He was cheating on me with a cheerleader, and lying to my face every night.

I knew it was too good to be true. His people and my people shouldn't mix. Note SHOULDN'T.

For example; Tommy. Tommy is one of my closest friends. He manages not only to maintain a good friendship, but also the street cred, support, and trust, of just about everyone I know.

Whereas Cameron, is a cheat, a liar, and untrustworthy. He may have the street cred, and the popularity, but 96% of that popularity is fake, meaning that he's only liked because he is a jock.

''Scarlett.. please..'' Cameron grabbed my arm once again, this time pulling me to a stop.

''I said no, so let go, and leave me alone!''

I started to panic, not being able to push him away. My usual defence mechanisms, and brute force, failing me when I most needed them.

I felt vulnerable and week without the power.

Cameron, catching on that I was unable to defend myself in my current state, pushed me hard against a locker and kissed me.

I tried to escape, but was undoubtedly trapped.

As he pulled back for air, Cameron whispered into my ear, ''I always get what I want... and it's not like you're dating Tommy, or that Dylan guy. So I see no problem.''

''Unfortunately, we do,'' Cameron was shoved away from my quivering body, and pushed up against the locker himself. If it weren't for the fact that there was a white-knuckled fist clamped around his neck, pretty much choking him to death, I'd say that that was what I had just looked like.

A warm arm wrapped itself around my shoulders and brought me into a hug. That smell was unmistakable. A smell of pine trees and mint.

It was undoubtedly Tommy.

''You okay?'' He smiled touching my forehead with the back of his palm, ''You don't look so good, you look pale. And it sure is unlike you not to fight back.''

In return i simply smiled gratefully, as I was not sure if I would make the words come out of my mouth without it coming out as a huge blur of letters all scrambled and rearranged.

Only then did it dawn on me, that there was still a hand clamped around Cameron's neck, and considering both of Tommy's were still in my sights, someone else had come to my rescue as well.

I looked up, only to see Cameron shaking in fear, sweat dripping down his neck and gulping down saliva every two or three seconds. A look of pure terror was spread across his face, as the other hero mumbled what was obviously death threats into Cameron's ear.

Then, possibly out of pure sympathy, or maybe even the substantial amount of effort involved in violence, the saviour released Cameron and watched him sprint down the hall, in silence.

For a second, and a second alone, he looked into my eyes, and then turned back to face Tommy.

''She okay?'' He grumbled.

Although my vision was blurry and I could no longer see people's faces clearly, that voice, which i knew oh so well, calmed my nerves, and stopped my shivering.

In an attempt to clarify my beliefs, I sucked in a breath, and squinted my eyes, looking up in the direction of the tall blur of colour, standing only a few feet away, ''Chase?''

Tommy kept a firm grip on me as i reached my hand forward towards Chase, my knees wobbling as i moved. I was afraid that I could fall at any moment.

Sure enough, almost the second the tip if my fingers made contact with Chase's cheek, my knees just collapsed from under me, sending me tumbling to the ground.

I waited for the impact. I waited for the cold solid floors to crash against my sides, but instead, my skin met an arm, which pulled me up.

A moment later, I was weightless. Patches of my vision, now not only blurred, but black and gone. I was being carried.

~Flashback~

''YOU CAN'T JUST LEAVE!''

''I have to.''

''NO YOU DON'T!''

''You don't understand... you wouldn't...''

''Well maybe if you TALKED TO ME, I WOULD UNDERSTAND BETTER!?''

Chase's bags crowded up the doorway. I had called Krys and Tommy only moments before, when I noticed them on my way down to the kitchen. They were on their way over, when Chase waltzed out of the dome, guitar in hand, and carried it, and a few bags out to his car, and chucked them into the trunk.

Panicing, I held my arms in front of me, blocking his access into the house, and to the bags.

''Move,'' Chase frowned, his hair covering his eyes.

Instead of following his orders and being an obedient little quitter, I held my ground, literally putting my foot down in front of me, and stepping forward slightly, for emphasis on the point that there was no way I was moving.

''Why are you leaving?'' I looked at the marble steps leading down to the driveway, mustering up all the self respect and restraint i could find, not to either lose my temper and hurt him, or let myself get hurt and just fold into his arms in a pile of tears.

He obviously had seen that I was too deep in thought to stand my ground, as when I looked up again, he was standing behind me, picking up more bags.

''I need to leave. If I could stay, I would. But I can't.''

''Why?'' I could feel the dams of tears about to burst and flood down my face, ''Why do you need to leave? What did she say to you? Why are you doing all of this for her?''

Chase sighed and once again shoved me out of the way to throw the last of his bags into the car.

'' 'Cause she's my Mom. I haven't seen her since I was 5, and she came all the way from London to see me!''

''No! She came all the way from London 12 years LATER may I just add, So that she could marry you off and redeem some stupid family fortunes!''

''Am I supposed to care?! At least MY Mom came LOOKING for me, whether she's just using me or not!'' He was yelling now. Slamming the car door He once again pushed passed me, brushing my shoulder with his own, and trailing himself into the house.

Tears were flowing down my face like there was no tomorrow. I couldn't control them.

He knew fine well why my family couldn't find me.

My family couldn't find me, because they're dead.


	2. Chapter 2

~continued flashback~

Tommy and Krys rolled up in Tommy's clean, white land rover, and instantly leapt out of the car and ran to my side.

''Sorry guys,'' I sniffed wiping the tears away with both hands, ''Did I disturb date night?''

''No, it's fine. You guys are more important than date night!'' Krys smiled sympathetically, and placed a hand on my shoulder.

Tommy just about looked like he was ready to murder someone.

''You're crying. Why? Did he say something?'' He grumbled.

In response, I nodded slowly.

''But it's okay. It wasn't anything really bad and I don-''

Tommy cut me off, by grabbing the arm of Chase as he walked past us towards the car.

''Where do you think you're going?''

Chase pulled away from Tommy and slung a bag over his shoulder, ''Home.''

''I thought this was your home?'' Krys frowned.

The only reply was the slamming of the car boot as it shut.

''Why are you leaving? with a woman who abandoned you?''

''She's my Mom. Do you think I care if she left me? she's taking me back now. When I was a kid i was foolish and naive and unworthy of her presence. Now I'm worthy and I intend on making the best of it,'' He pulled on a jacket and wrapped a scarf around his neck.

''Oh and you're not foolish and naive now?'' Krys huffed, tightening her grip on my arm.

Chase turned to look at her, ''What you say newbie?'' An evil, almost sinister smile spread across his face.

This seemed to some what frighten Krys.

It sure as hell scared me.

''Back off dude. What is your problem?'' Tommy sneered stepping in front of Krys and I.

''My problem?''

''Yeah! First of all you ignore us, then your dear Mommy calls, and wants you to get married so that SHE can become as rich as she once was, so that she can abandon you again. And you're fine with it?

Not only that but you're willing to leave us! Think of everything we've done for you! Think back to when we first met!''

Chase laughed wearily then looked over Tommy's shoulder, directly into my eyes, ''The worst days of my life.''

''Alright so you're leaving. What about us? Do you really think we'll be there for you when you get back? _IF_ you get back? And what about Scarlett? If it weren't for her, you'd either be slaving away for Mother dearest, or living on the streets! She took you in, and treated you like family! We all did!''

Before anyone could say anything more on the matter, a black ford pulled up beside Chase.

The truth was, that it's obvious we'd all be there for him, and we all knew it.

~Present time - school library~

My eyes slowly fluttered open, only to look directly at a painfully bright ceiling light, causing me to squint my now watering eyes.

A soft gust of air-conditioner blew through my hair.

''Sleeping beauty's awake,'' a voice said.

''Not so much beauty...'' another said

''Normally I'd agree, but then i haven't seen her in 2 years, and the last time we spoke was practically a full on battle to the death. So i don't think insulting her would do me any good,'' The first voice replied.

''Good point.''

I opened my eyes fully and sat up. At first I felt a little light headed, but eventually, as my eyes adjusted, I could see both of them clearly.

Tommy, and Chase.

''Chase...'' I whispered to myself, clutching the locked rosary around my neck, in an attempt to hold back the tears.

I took a step closer to him. I really wasn't sure if I wanted to yell and hit him, or cry and hug him.

And so... I said nothing, but did both.

I slapped him across the face. So hard in fact, that not only did Chase's cheek go a bright red colour, he winced, and my own hand felt numb from the impact.

The sound of my hand meeting his cheek echoed around the empty library.

I could feel myself welling up, and before I knew it, my tears were splashing off the floor.

''I guess I deserved that,'' Chase mumbled.

I couldn't help myself. I grabbed Chase, and pulled him into a hug, clinging onto him so tight, that anyone would think, if I were to let go, I would plummet to my death.

For a moment, Chase tensed up, but then his muscles relaxed and he hugged back.

''You left me...'' I whispered into his neck.

''I know, and I promise I'll never leave you ever again.''

''Sappy Sappy, BLEUGH!'' Krys moaned, leaning over the couch beside Tommy, and making puking noises.

''Sappy Sappy, SHUT UP!'' Chase sneered, but he smiled, and Krys smiled back.

''Good to see you again dumb ass...''

''Good to be back. So's anyone gonna' tell me who Dylan is?''

Tommy smiled, and I coughed awkwardly.

''Dylan,'' Krys sighed, ''Is my brother.''


End file.
